Police disperse crowds in Polish mining town

Police used tear gas Tuesday to disperse crowds while confiscating union publications in the southern mining town of Katowice, the Solidarity free trade union reported.

It said Solidarity members were selling union news sheets from a van in the town square, according to their usual practice, when the police surrounded them to take the papers.

Polish state television reported that disturbances occurred when police confiscated 2,500 anti-Soviet leaflets from demonstrators, who were shouting anti-Soviet slogans in the town.

Solidarity said three of its members were detained but the television, quoting the public prosecutor's office, reported that a crowd began stoning the police station where the men were being held and two of them escaped.